Maybe We Aren't Forever
by PacificRomance
Summary: "You were the first person I ever loved. I don't think I knew how to love before you. And our love was special, it was epic. But people change. You changed."


A/N: And so it has come to this...

...

She was there. In his building. In his apartment. She had disappeared out of his life for months and suddenly, without warning, she was back, looking expectant, if not a bit hesitant.

He pulled her aside to avoid curious ears.

"Blair, what are you doing here?"

"I'm back, for good," She said, looking up at him with a bright smile, "My divorce has finally gone through and I'm free. I wanted you to be the first to know."

She took his hand in hers, but he slowly pulled it away and shook his head, "Blair," He sighed, "I'm with someone."

She pouted, "Serena did mention something about that. A girl from Columbia, right? Someone Nate had a class with?"

"That's right."

"Well, I understand. I left you for a long time, even before I had to go to Monaco for the proceedings. I just thought that now that I'm back we could finally-"

"I'm sorry, Blair, I can't."

She looked up at him, her mouth dropping open in shock, "What? I-, I thought-"

"You thought that I would just sit around and wait for you to be ready for us to be together?" He snorted almost bitterly, "I did that for almost a year, Blair, before you even married Louis. And I was willing to wait for longer. But then I met someone else, and I slowly realized that maybe we weren't meant to be together."

"I don't understand…"

"You were the first person I ever loved. I don't think I knew how to love before you. And our love was special," He smiled slightly to himself, "It was epic. But people change. _You_ changed." He shrugged and shook his head, "I changed too. Things happened. I'm not that guy anymore, and you're not that girl. It wasn't anything we could control."

She shook her head, still lost in confusion, "When? When did it change for you?"

His smile remained, "You might not admit it, but it changed for you too. You had your little fling with Humphrey and then you had to go to France to deal with your divorce. While you were finding excuses to keep us apart, that is when it changed."

"I wasn't-"

"You were," It was the closest he had come to sounding upset all night, "We both know better than to pretend otherwise. I don't know if it was subconscious, or because you weren't ready, or because you were scared; but we had our share of opportunities. It just never came together."

She lifted her nose in the air indignantly, "So you just got over me?"

"No," He shook his head, "I meant it when I said I would always love you. But while you were gone I finally had to learn to love myself on my own, and not just through you. And when I did, I realized I didn't have to just be on the backburner, waiting for you to be ready for us. I was worth more than that."

"So you moved on? Just like that? To the first girl you found mildly interesting?"

A slight smirk formed on his lips, "I was interested in her because she reminded me of you, when I first _saw_ you back in high school. She is smart and witty and confident. She can be a real bitch, but she is loyal to a fault and she doesn't take any bullshit." He looked at her and then down at his feet with an almost sheepish smirk, "I guess you could say I have type."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "So you really care about her?"

He met her eyes with complete sincerity, "I love her, Blair. I've never said that about anyone but you."

"I know," She breathed, barely above a whisper, the tears pooling in her eyes.

"She isn't some fling. It is different with her. She isn't someone to just pass the time with while I wait for you. I love her," A smile came across his face, "And I am going to marry her. Someday. When we are ready."

She didn't know what to say. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, but she wanted to stay strong, "I'm glad you found someone," She said, her voice cracking slightly over the words, "You always deserved to be happy."

She turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist, "Blair," She looked back at him expectantly, "I'll always be here for you, if you ever need anything. I do still love you. I always will."

She sniffed and stood up a bit straighter, pulling her arm out of his grasp, "Thanks, but I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity. Just an old friend, offering support," She turned to leave once more, but paused when he continued, "And I know you don't need it. You are the most powerful woman I know, remember? That is one thing I'm sure hasn't changed."

She turned back to him, the tears returning to her eyes, "I'm sorry for everything. We should have had another chance. You deserved another chance."


End file.
